The present disclosure generally relates to the die-cutting and die-creasing industry, and more particularly the disclosure relates to a system and method of stripping and/or blanking a pre-treated cardboard. The present disclosure further relates to laser-beam (LB) scanners, and more particularly, to a system and method of pre-treating a cardboard using a laser-beam scanner. The present disclosure further relates to a system and method of stacking pre-treated cardboards.
The rapid evolution of trade around the world has created a significant demand for packaging in order to transfer/distribute goods to different remote areas. The transport of goods may be done by: ship, airplanes, trucks, as well as other transportations. The transport of goods may be performed by: the manufacturer; different suppliers; individual persons; etc. Further, a significant demand for different brochures, flyers, and the like also takes part in trade. The different brochures/flyers may have pre-folds and/or embossing and/or cuttings, for example. As a non-limiting example, embossing may be Braille writing.
Packaging has taken on a major role in the marketing of products in today's environments. The package in which the goods are packed and presented, in a store for instance, may determine if the goods will be appealing to a potential buyer in the store or not. Thus the packaging appearance can have a direct effect on the sales of merchandise. The brochures, flyers, and the likes, may also contribute to the sales and/or awareness with regards to a product and/or a service, for example.
Henceforth, throughout the description, drawings and claims of the present disclosure, the terms package, paperboard box, parcel, box, carton box, cardboard box, brochure, plastic box, flyers, etc. may be used interchangeably. The present disclosure may use the term package as a representative term for the above group as well as variants thereof.
In the process of constructing a package, it is well known in the art that as a preliminary requirement, a pre-treated cardboard and/or paper based material should be purchased or prepared. The paper based material may be constructed in a variety of forms and using a variety of different types of materials as well as combinations material types. For example, the material types may include, but are not limited to: waxed paper, cartridge paper, art paper, as well as other materials. Henceforth, throughout the description, drawings and claims of the present disclosure, the terms cardboard, card-stock, display board, corrugated fiberboard, paperboards of different paper based material, folding boxboard, carton, blanks, laminated paper, plastics sheets, any of these and other materials, may be used interchangeably and, the various embodiments as well as anticipated variants thereof may operate on any of these materials as well as combinations of these materials and other materials. Thus, while the present disclosure or certain embodiments may be presented as working with cardboard, this is just a representative term for the above groups well as variants thereof.
The pre-treatment of a cardboard may include one or more of the following actions: creating folding lines along the cardboard to ease and provide accurate folding of the cardboard; piercing the cardboard in different areas; creating embossment in different areas of the cardboard; cutting the raw cardboard into predefined profiles, cutting openings, slits or slots in the cardboard; a combination of two or more of the above-listed actions as well as other actions. Thus, any combination of these and other actions may also be performed. Henceforth, throughout the description, drawings and claims of the present disclosure the terms pre-folded cardboard, and pre-treated cardboard may be used interchangeably. The present disclosure may use the term pre-treated cardboard as a representative term for the above group of actions as well as combinations of these and other actions.
Some common techniques for preparing a pre-treated cardboard include the acts of placing the cardboard between dies. A few non-limiting examples of the types of dies include: a cutting-die; a creasing-die; an embossing-die; a scoring-die; a counter die; a combination of two or more of these different types of dies as well as other die types. Other examples of common techniques for preparing a pre-treated cardboard may include using light sources, such as, but not limited to laser-beams. For example, some common laser-beam based techniques may employ the use of CO2, YAG or fiber lasers. A typical range of wavelength utilized in such laser-beam based techniques may be between 0.35 to 12.0 micrometers, (10.6 μm for CO2, for example). A typical range of wavelength for a fiber laser based technique may be between 1-2 micro-meters. The laser-beam power may be in the range of a few tens of milliwatts to several hundred watts. A laser-beam source may deliver between 100 to 500 watts, and be used for pre-treating cardboard having widths of 0.2 to 9 mm, for example.
Examples of actions performed with laser-beam based pre-treatment of a cardboard may include: cutting, creasing, embossing, piercing, as well as a combination of two or more of these actions as well as other actions. Henceforth, throughout the description, drawings and claims of the present disclosure, the term laser-beam may be used as a representative term for a variety of light sources pre-treating a cardboard and the like.
When using a laser-beam for pre-treating a cardboard, a laser-beam scanning system (scanners) may be used. Laser-beam scanning may be a controlled deflection of the laser-beam, visible or invisible, by one or more moveable light reflecting planes.